The Charmed Kitchen

Crab Rangoons

If you are looking for appetizers for the Super Bowl, you might want to make Crab Rangoons.  These tasty bundles of crabby/ cheesy goodness are so simple to make. Because they are small- I don’t use a lot of oil to deep fry them. Just a couple of cups of oil in a small saucepan- fry a few at a time and you are done in no time at all. Of course, if you have a big crowd over for the game, you might want to use a bigger pot with more oil.

Crab Rangoons

1 can (6 oz.) crab meat,drained well

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese

dash of hot sauce

wonton wrappers

oil for frying

Combine crab meat with cream cheese and hot sauce. Place a wonton wrapper on work surface and place a teaspoonful of the crab filling in the middle. Fold 2 corners in to just touch. Take one of the remaining corners and roll up into a tiny roll. Dampen edge with a little water to affix. Repeat with remaining filling. You should get a several dozen. Pour 1-inch of oil into a small saucepan and heat to 350 degrees.  Fry rangoons a few at a time until golden and drain on paper toweling. Keep warm in 300-degree oven until ready to serve- but best served right after you make them. Serve with Sweet and Sour Sauce.

Pineapple Glazed Chicken Wings

Rumor has it that chicken wings are one of the most popular appetizers served on Super Bowl Sunday. If you want something different than Buffalo Style wings, you might want to try them with a pineapple sweet and sour glaze. No matter who you are cheering for- your guests will cheer for these.

Sweet and Sour Glazed Chicken Wings

12 chicken wings

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can (or jar) of pineapple chunks, drained, reserving liquid- I used a pint jar- if using store bought use the 20 oz. can.

salt and pepper

Sauce:

1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

1/2 c. sugar

3 T. ketchup

3 T. sherry

2 T. soy sauce

1 t. minced garlic

1 t. red pepper flakes

reserved pineapple juice

3 T. cornstarch

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place wings in pan and season with salt and pepper. Bake chicken wings in roasting pan for 20 minutes. Add the onions and pineapple chunks to the pan with the chicken wings and return to the oven for 30 minutes longer. While chicken is cooking combine the first seven sauce  ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Check baking pan for any juices- Spoon them out and add to the sauce. Combine pineapple juice and cornstarch in small bowl, stirring until smooth and add to the sauce. Return to boil and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Pour hot sauce over chicken and return to the oven to bake 20-30 minutes longer or until wings look nicely glazed and sauce has started to brown. Serves 3-4.

Brussels Sprout Soup

I love Brussels sprouts, but wanted to try them in a new way. I’ve roasted them, steamed them and enjoyed them in salads. I tried them in soup this time and really liked it. Simple, tasty and nutritious, too.

Brussels Sprouts Soup

2 T. olive oil
2 onions, peeled and sliced thin
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. diced ham
4-5 c. chicken stock
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced thin
2 T. chopped parsley
1 t. thyme
Hot sauce to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in pot and add onions. Cook until onions are wilted and add carrots and garlic. Sauté a couple of minutes and add the ham. Cook a few more minutes, then add the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and seasonings and cook until sprouts are tender- about 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve. Serves 4-5.

Orange Scented Brownies

I had this idea that should have been so simple. Make brownies, but add some orange juice and orange zest for some extra flavor. I wanted something special for a dinner with friends.

Well, the brownies came out fine, but I thought they looked a little plain to take to a dinner. For some reason, I did not want to frost them. I decided a simple orange glaze would be better.

I was wrong.

I took a cup, or a little more, of powdered sugar and mixed it with just enough orange juice to make a thin glaze, which I poured over the brownies. The glaze was thin and the surface of the brownies kind of lumpy. They just did not look nice enough to take to a party.

I thought I might fix the problem by dusting the brownies with powdered sugar. I do that with brownies all the time and it looks nice. Sadly, my glaze had hardened by this time. When I tried to dust the powdered sugar on the brownies it just sort of slid around back and forth. I tilted the pan and tapped most of the powdered sugar off. Now they looked even worse.

Well, even though I did not want to frost them in the beginning- I really felt these brownies did not need frosting- frosting it had to be. I had to have something presentable to take to my friends’ house. So I grabbed a stick of butter out of the fridge and put together a simple cocoa-orange butter cream.

I have to say, I like them with the frosting.  I kind of wish I had just made the buttercream to begin with. But I didn’t.

Sometimes we just need to experiment when cooking, as in life. Sometimes, it is perfect right from the beginning. Other times, you patch over your mistakes and move forward. In this case, the brownies are a little bit of both. The important part, I guess, is to finish what we start. And don’t beat yourself up. Few things in life are perfect. Hope my friends like them….

Orange Scented Brownies

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
¾ c. butter
1¼ c. flour
1 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
1 ¾ c. sugar
3 eggs
¼ c. orange juice
2 t. vanilla
Zest of one orange
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9 inch baking pan. Melt together chocolate and butter. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Into chocolate mixture stir in sugar, then beat in eggs, juice, vanilla and orange zest. Stir in flour mixture. Spread in prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes until brownies are firm around the edges. Cool before frosting. Makes 24.

Chocolate- Orange Buttercream

1 stick butter (½ cup) softened
2 c. powdered sugar
¾ -1 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 T. orange juice
1 t. vanilla
1 t. orange zest

In medium bowl, beat together the butter and powdered sugar. Gradually add the cocoa and a couple of tablespoons of the orange juice. Beat until light and fluffy. This takes a few minutes. Add the rest of the orange juice, a little at a time and the vanilla and orange zest. Frost cooled brownies.

Cinnamon-Vanilla Belgian Waffles

No one ever complains when you make waffles for breakfast. Or if you  make waffles for lunch or dinner, for that matter. But the response is even better when you make Belgian waffles. At least that has been my experience.  My theory is, that because Belgian waffles are bigger, people love them even more.  These waffles are light and rich at the same time. They can be used as a dessert, too. For dessert just top them with ice cream, chocolate sauce or whipped cream – or all three. You can even freeze any extras. Oh, who are we kidding? There aren’t going to be leftovers. But if there were, you could freeze them.

Cinnamon-Vanilla Belgian Waffles

2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
2 eggs, separated
1-1/2 cups half and half- or milk
1 cup butter, melted
2 t. vanilla extract

Sliced fresh strawberries, powdered sugar or syrup

In a bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, lightly beat egg yolks. Add milk, butter and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions until golden brown. Serve with strawberries, powdered sugar or syrup. Yield: 10 waffles (about 4-1/2 inches).

Blueberry Muffins

I froze a lot of blueberries when they were in season. This time of year I often enjoy using some of those frozen berries in baked goods. This muffin recipe is one of my favorites. The secret, I think, is the cup of melted butter that is folded into the batter. I also add a little cinnamon, which goes so well with the berries. You end up with a rich muffin with a crumbly, tender texture and a great flavor. This recipe makes 36 muffins, so you will have extra to freeze.  They freeze great.

Rich  Blueberry Muffins

4 c. flour

2 T. baking powder

1 ½ t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1½  c. sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

2 eggs

1 ½ c. milk

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, melted

4 c. blueberries -fresh or frozen

Paper line 36 muffin cups or grease lightly and preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl mix dry ingredients. In smaller bowl mix eggs and milk and beat until smooth. Stir into flour mixture with a fork and mix until just moistened. Fold in melted butter and blueberries divide batter among cups. Sprinkle muffins with a little extra sugar. Bake 25 minutes, or until light golden. Makes 36.

Chicken Fricassee in Lemon Sauce

I love the lemon sauce I made for this dish. Love it!! With lemons in season, it seemed a nice choice for dinner the other night. The dish is really simple to make and loaded with flavor. Chicken is browned in a pan, then simmered gently with onions and Romaine lettuce. Yes, I said lettuce. If you aren’t in the mood for a salad, you can cook your lettuce instead. I used boneless chicken, so the cook time was pretty short. You could use a different protein, if you like. I have made the dish with lamb shoulder and pork steaks. Both were really good.

Chicken Fricassee in Lemon Sauce

2 1/2-3 lbs.  chicken-  I used boneless chicken thighs

salt and pepper

3 medium onions, chopped

2-3 heads romaine lettuce, washed and sliced thin

1/4 c. olive oil

Egg and Lemon Sauce -recipe follows

If using a whole chicken, cut the meat into serving pieces. Heat the oil in a pot and sauté the meat. Add salt, pepper, the onions, lettuce and a small amount of water. Cover the pot and let the fricassee simmer for about an hour. If using boneless chicken, reduced cook time to 30 minutes.  Prepare the egg and lemon sauce, pour it over the fricassee and serve. I served it as is, but it could also be served over pasta or rice.

 Egg and Lemon Sauce

1-2 c. stock- I used chicken stock

2 eggs

juice of 1 lemon

flour, about 1-2 tablespoons, depending on how thick you want the sauce

Bring stock to the simmer. Beat eggs well. Mix the flour with the lemon juice.

Add flour mixture to the eggs and keep beating. Add the hot broth slowly while you keep beating. Pour the egg and lemon sauce in the pot and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Makes 1-2 cups. For a thinner sauce eliminate the flour, or use less.

Baked Potato Soup

When I was a kid, I loved getting a baked potato, when we went out for dinner. I loved my Mom’s home cooking, including her baked potatoes, but it was different at a restaurant. It would come to the table wrapped in foil and all puffed up in the middle. As a kid it looked very special to me. They also had so many toppings you could get. Choices included sour cream, butter, chives, bacon and cheese. This soup starts off as a cream of potato soup, and then combines many of the toppings you might have on a baked potato. It feels just like those baked potatoes at the steakhouse. Comfort food on a couple of levels.

Baked Potato Soup

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

4- 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

4-5 cups chicken stock

1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

2 c. half and half

3 T. flour

salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

Sour cream

chopped green onions or chives

shredded cheese

extra bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

In soup pot combine bacon and onion and cook over medium heat until bacon is cooked and onion is tender. Add potatoes and stock and simmer, covered , until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add parsley and most of the half and half. Reserve a couple of tablespoons of the half and half and combine with the flour and stir until smooth. Ladle a little of the warm soup into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.  Add the flour mixture to the rest of the soup and stir until smooth. Cook until soup is thickened and bubbly. Adjust seasonings and serve. Add toppings of your choice at the table. Makes 4 servings.

Gluten- Free Hazelnut Biscotti

These delicate biscotti might surprise you. While they have the normal crunchiness that you’d expect in biscotti,  they also have a melt in your mouth texture. If biscotti are sometimes too crunchy for you – try making these instead. The combination of toasted hazelnuts, orange peel and vanilla make them wonderfully fragrant as well. I used gluten free flour in this recipe, but you could use all purpose flour, if you prefer.

Gluten-Free Hazelnut Biscotti

3 c. gluten-free flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
3 eggs
1 c sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. olive oil
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 t. grated orange peel
1 c. hazelnuts, toasted, peeled and chopped

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together eggs, sugar, butter, oil, vanilla and peel. Beat until smooth and stir in flour mixture and nuts. Grease a large baking sheet and place dough on sheet, forming into 2 (14×3)-inch logs. Bake at 325-degrees until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes and leave oven on. Use serrated knife to cut into 1/2 -inch thick slices. Place cooling rack on your baking sheet. Place cut side down on cooling rack  and return to oven for 20 minutes.  Cool. Makes about 24. You can leave them plain or add a drizzle of chocolate once cooled.